Advocates for a $15 minimum wage question Buttigieg as he marches with them in SC
While Pete Buttigieg chanted “We Work! We Sweat, Put $15 on our check!” along with striking fast food workers calling for a $15 minimum wage, he was loudly questioned about his commitment to the fight for $15.
About 100 people rallied outside of a Charleston McDonalds calling for a $15 minimum wage, the day before Buttigieg and six other Democratic presidential hopefuls converge on the debate stage to make their final appeals to Palmetto State voters.
“No matter who you support, I support you, we support you, we stand together and we will not rest until one job is enough in the United States of America,” Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg has been working to increase his support with African American voters: a key S.C. Democratic primary demographic well represented at the rally. In the latest Winthrop Poll, Buttigieg only had 1% support from African Americans.
Buttigieg quickly left the rally after his remarks, as members of the Black Youth Project 100 shouted questions at him, saying Buttigieg hasn’t always been for $15 an hour and has changed positions on the issue.
They also pointed to how wages for some South Bend city jobs are less than $15 an hour. In 2016, Buttigieg was able to get minimum wage for city employees raised to $10.10 an hour, but state law prevented local municipalities from instituting a higher mandated minimum wage for all businesses.
Taiwanna Milligan, 42, who works at the McDonalds in Santee as a cashier earning $8.75 an hour, participated in the rally, saying she wants a higher wage to support her 12-year-old son and 74-year-old mother, without relying on government support.
“I want to be able to feed my family with just being able to live off the wages I make, which is not enough,” Milligan said.
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 5:19 PM.
